The white “reat diamond moon” leads to the next spread, in which mama and child, in a close-up silhouette, “ the night” amid a burst of stars and with a wavy line of musical notes. “A necklace of stars” shows mother swinging her baby through a sparkling, celestial, deep purple sky softened with rounded clouds in blues, pinks and grays. Qualls’ illustrations in acrylic, pencil and collage extend the rich imagery of the text with fantastical qualities that young ones can appreciate. The rhythmic language slowly unfolds with only a line or two per spread. An urban setting with a calming palette complements the soothing, loving tone of Hughes’ poem celebrating an African-American mother and her baby.
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